Understated luxury is the ruling principle at one of Bali’s hottest new hotels, Katamama. Calling itself a boutique hotel made by artisans, it strives to use local craftspeople and centuries-old traditions for everything from the bricks to the bed throws. It’s no secret that Katamama is one of the hottest (and most sought after) hotels in Bali right now.

On arrival:

Entry to the hotel is through Akademi, which acts as both the lobby and bar. Check-in is a relaxed affair, completed in your room with the help of one of the hotel’s hosts.

Akademi:

Defying the conventional definition of a hotel bar is Katamama’s intimate, 10-seater affair, Akademi. Part laboratory (we’re waiting for the 30-day-aged negroni to take off in Sydney), part retreat, it is the brainchild of London mixologist Dre Masso. Local ingredients and artisan techniques are celebrated by a knowledgeable staff who are more than happy to walk you through the extensive cocktail list made using local, seasonal produce wherever possible. Arak, the traditional Balinese spirit that previously earned a reputation for all the wrong reasons (but is now being revived) features heavily on the menu, infused with a variety of local fruits, vegetables and spices.

The rooms:

With design credentials extending from Indonesian architect, Andra Matin (who also designed the hotel’s adjoining Potato Head Beach Club), Katamama is truly a boutique offering with only 58 private suites. More than 1.5 million handmade red Balinese temple bricks make up the hotel’s facade, running seamlessly into the hotel’s interiors. Rooms come complete with local handmade textiles and furnishing in a style that reflects Indonesia’s mid-century Jengki design period.

The smallest suites are by no means cramped with both garden and island (pictured above) offerings boasting 82sq m of space, complete with walk-in wardrobes, lounge areas, extensive in-room bars, king beds and luxurious bathrooms. The crowning jewel, the Katamama suite, is 320sq m and includes grand living space, private rooftop spa area (pictured below), indoor and outdoor dining areas plus a greenhouse. It overlooks Potato Head Beach Club and onwards to the blue waters of Seminyak.

The hotel prides itself on the extensive in-room bar and rightly so. Feel like a cocktail? Just call room service. They will send up one of Akademi’s mixologist to whip up the drink of your choice.

Perhaps the only thing more impressive is the hotel’s extensive collection of contemporary art. Works by internationally recognised Indonesian artists cover the walls throughout each room.

The food:

Guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to dining in Seminyak. Bali in recent years has become a magnet for chefs both from Australia and beyond.

At the heart of Katamama’s food offering is MoVida Bali (pictured below), the first international outpost of the Melbourne favourite by Frank Camorra. With its mix of Spanish flavours, the restaurant acts as the hotel’s main port of call for breakfast, lunch and dinner set between the lush gardens and the pool.

Breakfast items range from a blend of traditional Spanish pasteles and churros to local pressed juices and tonics. Dishes like the popular huevos revueltos of scrambled eggs with soft shell crab fit the bill after a morning swim (or a late night).

Within the hotel vicinity, One Fifteenth Coffee provides your daily caffeine hit. Before opening in Seminyak in 2012, the cafe was among the first to offer speciality coffee in Jakarta. Neighbouring the coffee shop is Alchemy, Bali’s first raw food restaurant. A favourite among Australians, the restaurant offers an unrivalled menu of vegan salads and desserts made from ingredients grown organically on their own farm in Bali’s north.

And a trip to Bali isn’t complete without a visit to Potato Head Beach Club. A place to see and to be seen, Katamama guests have exclusive privileges as well as priority access – useful, particularly during peak season where hot ticket spots fill up quickly. The ever-popular venue boasts large poolside lounges, private cabanas, restaurants and a bustling bar scene. Private poolside food and cocktails make it the obvious choice to watch Bali’s magical sunsets.

Championing traditional Balinese cuisine is Potato Head Beach Club’s restaurant, Kaum (pictured below). The menu reads as a testament to the restaurant’s extensive research into Indonesia’s indigenous cooking methods. Pepes ikan pesisir, a dish of grilled fish, is served wrapped in the banana leaves it was cooked in with a spicy fish turmeric paste and lemon basil leaves. Crispy duck (bebek goreng sambal mangga muda) is served in halves with a spicy green mango and red chilli relish. Kaum is all about a communal dining experience, so to make the most of it bring along your fellow travellers. But don’t worry if you’re solo – the staff will guide you through the menu with ease.

Surrounding activities:

Katamama’s hosts are happy to recommend local attractions, dining spots and the best places to shop. Take your pick from massages at nearby Jari Menari, followed by an afternoon of shopping at Bali’s famed Biasa or revel in some of the best furniture and homewares you’re likely to find in Bali at Mercredi.

Better yet, spend a lazy day by the hotel’s pool, working your way through their cocktail menu.

Check-out rating:

Overall you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything within the vicinity of Seminyak to match the offering at Katamama. Watch this space as the hotel is planning to open a second property just a stone’s throw away.

Katamama, Jl Petitenget No 51B, 
 Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia 80361, katamama.com